Polar Vortex sucks sap out of Maple Sugar month, but Kalamazoo-area festivals still on tap

AUGUSTA, MI — At the W. K. Kellogg Experimental Forest they may be boiling water, not maple sap, at this weekend's demonstration of the workings of the sugar house. No sap has been collected yet, said Greg Kowalewski, resident forester.

At least there's plenty of last year's syrup.File Photo

Blame it on the Polar Vortex.

On Feb. 28, Governor Rick Snyder declared March as “Michigan Maple Syrup
Month” to honor Michigan’s high quality pure maple syrup and the
industry’s contribution to the economy.

But Mother Nature paid no attention, and thus far March 2014 has been a bust.

"Last year at this time, we had 100 gallons of sap" collected, Kowalewski said. This year, 250 trees are tapped, and a mile and a half of new tubing set up.

"We're just waiting for it to warm up," he said even if that doesn't happen before the forest's open house begins at noon Saturday, March 15.

The 49th annual Maple Sugar Festival at the Kalamazoo Nature Center will carry on Saturday, March 15 and Sunday, March 16, kicking off with a breakfast of pancakes smothered in real maple syrup from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and ending with ice cream topped with syrup from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The syrup and other maple products are already on hand, not dependent on this year's sap, said Jason Byler, public programs and exhibits director and organizer of the festival.

"We have about 15 trees tapped, not enough capacity for the festival," he said, but the sap was running March 9 and 10, and he is hopeful it will begin again in time for this weekend's demonstrations. The day includes maple sugar tours from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and many other outdoor activities at the Nature Center and nearby DeLano Homestead, where pioneer sugaring demonstrations will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kowalewski said he is hopeful the weather cooperates for the Kellogg Forest wagon rides and sugar bush tours from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 15.

Whatever the weather has in store this weekend or over the next several days, once the trees' buds appear, the season will be over, he said.

Usually, when spring comes late, the same quantity of sap is released
from the trees, but just over a shorter period, he said. "When it does
warm up, we are going to get tons of sap," Kowalewski predicted. "But I'm not sure what happens in a year like
this."

Even if not much happens, he is philosophical.

"Last year was one of the best years we ever had," with 214 gallons of syrup produced, "and like all farming crops, you get bad years and good years."

Tom Cook, owner of Cook's Sugarbush in Niles, which taps about 400 trees, shares that outlook. He's also optimistic about this year, which, though running a month behind, is just getting started, he said.

"It started here Monday, with a slow start but the forecast looks pretty good" for coming weeks, he said. "It's like farming -- you don't give up until it's over," Cook said.

Michigan ranks 6th nationally in the production of maple syrup with an average yearly production of about 148,000 gallons, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

For more information on maple-syrup-related events, locations and times click here.